Tobf edo and sttbmebged lattnchzno-ittbe



W. DIETER.'

TORPEDO AND SUBMERGED LAUNCHING TUBE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN.25.I9I9.

1,316,284, Patented sept. 16,1919.

Illu-f III INVENTOR By Attorneys,

its launching tube and WILLI'AI DIETER, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

i TOEPEDO AND sUBirEnsEn LAuNcHnvTUBE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led January 25, 1919. Serial No. 273,131.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM DIETER, a

citizen of the United States of America, re

siding in the borough of Brooklyn, city and State of New York, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Torpedoes and Submerged Launching-Tubes, of which the following is a specificatlon.

This invention relates -to torpedoes and launching means therefor, for use chiefly connection with submarines or submerslble boats, although useful also on battleships or other craftY where the submergence of the .launching tube may vary. The obj ect of the invention is to maintain a balance of air pressure within the torpedo and within the launching tube up tothe moment of launching, notwithstanding the varying hydrostatic pressure due to the varying depths of submergence of the tube.

'The preferred .embodiment of the lnvention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view, belng a longitudinal vertical section, on a scale, of the fore part of a submarine, with shown in elevation; l

Fig. 2 is a section .on the same plane, of a fragment of the launching tube and torpedo, showing their connections;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal mid section of the air pressure regulator;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the'latter, on a smaller scale. Referring to Fig. 1, A designates the hull of a submarine, B the launching tube, and C the torpedo. D is the air pressure regulator as a whole, and E is a source of compressed air, such as a reservoir or ask, into which compressed air is pumped from any suitable compressor.

lt is impracticable to construct torpedoes so that water will be excluded from the afterbody under abnormal pressures, that is, pressures below the deepest depth of immersion at which the torpedo is designed to run. Consequently, when a'torpedo is in the torpedo tube of a submarine, and the latter dives to a greater depth, the waterA entering the launching tube under pressure forces its way into the afterbody of the torpedo. The water thus entering constitutes ballast, which, if the torpedo were launched in this condition, would destroy its subtorpedo, the latter ed, but asuitable construction Patented sept. 1e, 1919.

mersion balance'and 'would have other disadvantageous results. For example, the

water would be liable to enter through the turbine nozzles into lthe' superheater, and

might prevent the ignitionv of the superheating charge upon launching. Efforts to launching tube' exclude the water from the have been unsuccessful.

According to my invention, the Water is i excluded from the afterbody of thetorpedo by maintaining therein an "air pressure soI nearly balancing the pressure surrounding the torpedo, that is, the pressure within the launching tube, as to eii'ectually prevent the water being forced into the torpedo. To this end the afterbody of the torpedo is connected to a source of compressed air through the medium of pressure-controlling lmechanism, whereby as the pressure within-the launching tube increases, compressed air is introduced into the afterbody so as to maintain a substantially equal pressure' therein;

and conversely, as the pressure in thev launching tube falls, the excess pressure in the' afterb'ody is discharged, so that the pressures within and exterior to thev torpedo are kept substantially balanced.

To accomplish this result it is necessa to connect the afterbody of the torpedo d1- rectly or indirectly with the pressure regu- `lator D, andalso to connect this regulator with the interior of the launching tube. The 'latter connection may be permanent, but the former must be of such .nature as will be severed upon the launching of the torpedo. Disregarding for the moment the details of such separa'ble connection, it is sufficientto state that a tube or conduit F connectsat one end to the interior of the afterbody, and at the other end to the shell of the pressure regulator, while from the latter a tube or conduit G connects to the interior of the launching tube. The regulator D is of such construction as to respond to differences of pressure transmitted to it through the tubes F and G, and to compensate therefor by admitting pressure from the reservoir E, or escaping pressure to the atmosphere, according as the pressure in the torpedo afterbody is lower than, or higher than, that in theV launching tube.

The regulator D may lbe variously constructis that shown, wherein the shell or casing H is divided by a partition l to form two chambers J and K, the former connecting through F with the torpedo, and the latter connecting through G with the launching tube' in the partition l are mounted two dlaphragms, L and M, in such manner that they are exposed to the pressures in the chambers J and K, so that they will be displaced by a preponderance of pressure in either chamber. The dia hragm L operates a valve which contro s the flow `of compressed air from E through conduit O, into the chamber J, and thence into the tor edo. rlhe d iaphragm M operates a relie valve P which controls the escape of surplus air from the chamber J to the exterior of the casing, that is to say, into the hull of the submarine.

In operation, let it be assumed that the submarine has been on the surface, so that the hydrostatic pressure in the launching tube is so nearly normal as to be negligible. If thereupon thesubmarine submerges, the hydrostatic pressure in the tube proportionately increases, whereas at iirst that within the torpedo is unaltered. This gives rise to an unbalanced pressure within the regulator; that is to say, the pressure in chamber K exceeds that in chamber J, and consequently the diaphragrns L, M are' displaced toward J. The displacement of M 1n this direction has no result; but the displacement of L acts to open the valve N and ermit compressed air to enter from O into J, and thence to escape through F into the torpedo; this flow continues until the pressures in K and J are substantially equalized, whereupon the diaphragm returns to normal position, the valve N closing (preferably with the pressure) and shutting ed the inflow lof compressed air. By this means compressed air is introduced into the after- Ibody to a pressure nearly or substantially equaling the hydrostatic pressure in the launching tube, so that if (as is usual) water is contained in the launching tube, it is prevented from flowing therefrom into the torpedo. lf now the submarine rises to a higher level or breaches to the surface, the hydrostatic pressure in B correspondingly diminishes, whereupon the preponderant pressure in the torpedo communicated to the chamber J, gives rise to an opposite unbalanced pressure condition, whereby the diaphragms L, M are displaced in the contrary direction. Such displacement of L is without result; but the displacement of M opens the relief valve and permits compressed air to dow out from J into the submarine hull, an effect which continues until the pres sures in J and K are substantially equalized. Thus, the excess airis discharged from within the torpedo and delivered into the submarine, where it is not wasted, ybut is utilized as part of the air supply for maintaining respiration by the crew.

intense It will be understood that various constructions of diaphragme or equivalent pressure-responsive elements, and of valves operated thereby, and various lconstructions for connecting the conduit F to the torpedo, may be provided, within the scope of the present invention, lit being immaterial, in a broad sense, what constructions in detail are employed, so long 'as the essential operations'thus described are performed. To enable thoseskilled in the art to more readily practice the invention, a description will nowV be given of the details of cpnstruction in the preferred embodiment shown, it being understood that the invention, in its vbroader aspect, is not limited thereto.

Referring to Fig. 2,. the conduit F comprises a tube a (whichrmay be a exible tube) from the regulator D to the launchin tube, "and within the launching tube pre erably comprises ea flexible tube or hose b connected at one end to the terminus of the tube a, and at the other to a pull-out con- Y neetion or nozzle c, which elfe-ets communi? cation with the interior of the afterbody, the air entering the latter through an outwardly-closing check valve 0l .pressed to its seat e by la spring f. The air entering from tube b passes through the hollow nozzle` c (having a shoulder which makes a cked joint with the gasket located at y?? and through air passage h and through the valve seat, Iand thence through a tube z' into the afterbody. rlhe nozzle c has a shoulder j which, when seated, is engaged by a spring or springs 7c for maintaining the connection. lt is necessary to hold the valve d open while this connection is maintained, in orderto lavoid any obstruction to `the indow or` outflow of compressed air, and this function is conveniently performed by the nozzle c acting against the stein of the valve d so as to hold the valve unseated against its spring stress. This condition continues until the admission of pressure to the launching tube for ejecting the torpedo, whereupon, in the first part of the launching'movement of the latter the hose b is pulled taut, whereupon the nozzle c remains stationary while the torpedo is moving outward, and the nozzle releases itself from the grip of the springs 7c and consequently disconnects itself from the torpedo. Instantly thereupon the valve d is closed by its spring, so that inow of sea water to the torpedo is avoided.

The pressure regulator D requires essentially `one or more movable pressure-re sponsive ele-ments for operating the respective valves. While one such element would suffice, it is preferable to employ two, one for each valve. Diaphragms are the most practical form of such elements. ln the' construction shown, the diaphragm L is con# nected by a stem Z, and through a push-piece m, to the valve stem n of the valve N, which compressed 'air escapes from J to the exupon the and valve P is to contraryA effect. The con nection between diaphragm stem'p and valve stem g is essentially a. ull connection.

shown,'it is constituted y a wire r enf*A gaging elongated holes or slots in the re- \ada spective valve stems, these slots having sufficient play to permit the unobstructed movement of the diaphragm to- 'ward chamber J. When the pressures are balanced, the p, r, g engage, so that disp toward K, the valve P is pulled open and terior. The valve P is seated by a spring S engaging its valve s tem.

While the conduit F might connect with any part of the afterbody, the special arrangement shown has an important function not thus far stated.. When water finds entry into the afterbody, as may sometimes happen, itis desirable to have some means (analogous to a bilge pump) for' -ex elling such water. This is accomplished y the construction shown, by reason of the tube z' being extended down to a low part of the aterbody, so that its end is sealed in any such bilge water. Then, when the outflow of excess pressure vfrom the afterbody takes.

placa-the water is forced out by the air pressure above it, land the water, entering the lower chamber of the regulator, escapes therefrom by the valve P. The emission of water shows the operator what is the condition within the aterbody. When -all excess water has been expelled, it is followed by a discharge of air. To direct the outflowing water downward, itis advantageous to A rovide an outer tubul-ar shield u.

lpclaim as my invention 1. The combination with a torpedo and launching tube, of a source of compressed air, and means responsive to differences in pressure within the torpedo and within the launching tube adapted to feed compressed air from said source into thetorpedo when the pressure in the latter falls materially below that in the tube.

2. The combination with a torpedo and launching tube, of va source of compressed air, and means `responsive to differences -in pressure within the to edo and within the launching tube adapte to discharge from the torpedo pressures materially in excess of those in the tube.-

3. The combination with a torpedo and launching tube, of a source of compressed air, and means responsive to differences in acement of the diaphragm pressureL withinV the torpedo'and within the aunching tube adapted to control the iow of compressed air into and from the torpedo, whereby to maintain such pressures approximately equal.

4. The combination with a torpedo and launchingl tube, of a source of compressed air, a pressure regulator and conduits connecting it respectlvely with the interior of the torpedo, the interior of the tube, and

with sald source, said regulator 'including a pressure-responsive element and valves pted to control the llow of compressed air into and from the torpedo, whereby to maintain Y approximately equal pressures within the torpedo and tube.

5. In apparatus according to claim 4.-, the

pressure regulator comprislng -a casing divided into chambers, the pressure-responsive element exposed to the pressures in such chambers respectively, and valves operated thereby controlling the flow of compressed air from said source to the torpedo, and from the torpedo to the exterior.

6. In apparatus according to claim 4, the pressure regulatorcomprising a casing divided into chambers, diaphragms exposed on opposite 'sides'tothe pressures in said chambers respectively, and valves operated by the respective diaphragms, the one valve controlling flow of compressed air from said source to the torpedo, and the other valve controlling escape of air from the torpedo i to the exterior.

7. In apparatus according' to claim 1, a conduit connecting the' torpedo afterbody with the pressure-controlling means, comprising a separable connection with the torp 8. In apparatus according to claim 1, a conduit connecting the torpedo afterbody with the pressure-controlling means, and a valvecontrolling the communication between such conduit and the interior of the torpedo,adapted to be unseated while the connection is maintained, and to close such communication upon the launching. of the torpedo.

9. In apparatus according to claim 1, the torpedo having an opening through which tht compressed air enters it, and a valve adapted to close said opening when the torpedo is launched. A

10.' The combination with a torpedo, of a source of compressed air, a conduit leading from the lower part of a chamber within the torpedo to the exterior, and means for introducing compressed air into said chamllt ber whereby to discharge bilge vwater from Laieaee l2. ln apparatus according to claim 1i, a 13. ln apparatus according to claim 12, conduit leading from the lower part Iof a said outlet valve having means for directing chamber Within the torpedo to said regudownwardly the outowing Water. 10 labor, whereby to expel Water from said In Witness Whereof,1have hereunto signed 5 chamber 'into the regulator, and the latter my name. having an outlet valve on its lower side to discharge such Water. WILLIAM DIETER. 

